Re: Lagos: State of shimmering lights

October 7, 2016

After reading through an article in The Nigerian Tribune features page of August 26, 2016, I was thrilled with the above captioned heading, when the author chronicled from Idimu-Ejigbo-Isolo-Okota-Ikotun, among other areas in the length and breath of Lagos State, where the ecstatic nature of the city has been in focus as a result of the ‘Light Up Lagos’ project, which I understand is being undertaken to usher in a 24-hour economy, as well as to rid the state of security menace, among other good intentions.

I was beginning to nurse a glimmer of hope a few days la

ter, after going through another captivating headline: “Ambode begins inauguration of 114 roads.” The hope was almost immediately dashed after perusing through the list of roads, I discovered that none of them was in the closest proximity to Ijagemo Community in the Iba/Ojo LCDA, let alone awarding any road contract there. Not a passing comment was made about any of the communities on the Ijegun-Ijagemo-Ijedodo corridor, even among those outlined for future attention. This, therefore, raises a big question: Are those in the aforementioned communities not part of Lagos State? It may be interesting that after shuttling with delight and enthusiasm in the night from Epe, Ajah, Apapa, Badagry, Ikorodu, Yaba, Ikeja, Oshodi, Agege, Surulere to Okota, Ejigbo, Isheri-Oshun, one will be in high spirit until you get to the Ijegun-Ijagemo axis when such enthusiasm and hope would be dimmed as a result of fate of a neglected people.

If the state government belongs to all and not to a particular group, something urgently should be done to raise the optimism of the inhabitants of Ijegun-Ijagemo and Ijedodo areas. At least, if there is no possibility of erecting the street lights, something should be done on drainage and road situations, which are the twin problems plaguing the communities in the above mentioned environ.